Keratotic plugs are formed in pores of living human skin from dead epidermal cells that have become keratinized together with sebaceous material and dirt. The presence of keratotic plugs in the pores of the skin leads to an unsightly increase in the visibility of the pores and can also lead to dermatological problems such as skin infection. Thus, for both cosmetic and heath reasons, it is advantageous to remove keratotic plugs from the pores of the skin.
Keratotic plugs, however, can be difficult to effectively remove from the skin in a gentle fashion. Prior art skin cleansers and detergents are limited in their ability to remove keratotic plugs quickly, gently and effectively. Mechanical means of removing keratotic plugs, for example by squeezing, pressing, or creating a suction on the skin, can cause undo pain and skin damage, and are generally slow and tedious to perform since only a small number of plugs can be removed at a time.
Water-activated film-forming packs and masks have previously been used to cleanse and strip the skin. Such formulations generally utilize a film-forming cosmetic formulation, which is applied to the skin, allowed to dry, and peeled from the skin after drying. The formulations can either be applied to the face directly, or can be pre-coated onto a support backing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,142 discloses a skin treating technique where a material which can be a film of sodium polystyrene sulfonate cosmetic solution is applied to the skin, allowed to dry, and subsequently peeled off, removing scurf skin and sebaceous soils. U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,277 teaches a keratotic plug removal method using a film forming composition comprising an ionic polymer having a salt forming group which is peeled from the skin. This patent further teaches that non-ionic polymer formulations are not sufficiently effective for desired use in effectively removing keratotic plugs by the same method.
Cosmetic formulations comprising non-ionic polymers can be advantageous from the standpoint of gentleness to the skin and ease of formulation and processing. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide effective cosmetic products and methods utilizing non-ionic, non-salt-forming polymer-based formulations for removal of keratotic plugs from the skin.